Microsoft may be set to make the Windows 8 Release Preview available today, earlier than the vendor's previously stated schedule of releasing the software during the first week in June.
Word of the accelerated release came in an apparently prematurely posted blog on Microsoft's Windows Hardware and Driver Developer Blog authored by Chuck Chan, corporate vice president of the Windows development team. The blog post, which was removed after just a couple of minutes, was reported late Wednesday by the Neowin.net Website.
Microsoft did not respond to a request for comment this morning.
[Related: Windows 8 Beta: The Good, The Bad And The Confusing]
The Release Preview is the final, in-development release of Windows 8 before Microsoft ships the final product, which the company calls the Release To Manufacturing, or RTM version.
Microsoft has not disclosed when it expects to ship the final release of Windows, but it's widely expected in September or October.
Release Preview versions of Microsoft software lock down the software's features and the only changes made before the RTM version are corrections and bug fixes.
Windows 8 is the next generation of the company's PC operating system that will run on both desktop PCs and tablet devices. The software will be available in versions tailored for consumers, business professionals and enterprises and a version for ARM-based devices. Microsoft has not disclosed how it will price the software.
